Changing the way we compute

May 20, 2009February 18, 2010

Bit of Engineering and its Big Difference

It just takes a bit of engineering to cause the big difference in everyday life. Sulphur in rubber. Carbon in iron. Germanium in silicon. GUI in computers. These all were the small ideas with magnificent results in the course of human history. And every great vision in the end is based on a very simple and fundamental notion.

Small ideas leave huge trails when people feel connection with it. When they think they are gaining something which they always lacked. When they make emotional connections. And when these ideas give people the power to personalize things, it becomes ubiquitous and indispensable. Isn’t that what every manufacturer in the end wants?

Blue whales cant experiment with different maneuver styles. Its difficult for them to gain momentum for them. It is the smaller fishes which ushers a new range of brilliant water acrobats. It starts with one, and soon there are thousands of them dancing in the tune of wet notes. Same applies in the case of industries as well. Disruption is caused by newer firms, by those who are not exposed to standards, principles and guidelines.

What is the perfect form factor of a ubiquitous device? It should act as computer, mobile, camera, scanner, gaming console, learning tool and much more. It cannot have one size to do all these tasks. But then nano-technology is not promising it within-next decade. That would mean, we will still experiment with different form factors for this kind of device.

But these are interesting times. Big players don’t act as Blue Whales. Some behave as sharks and some as white, curvaceous, smooth and gloss finished dolphins. They have the capacity of gaining momentum once they feel the new maneuver is attractive enough to be repeated. This makes things more competitive for smaller fishes. So, what should they do?

Brilliance lies in the intelligent implementation of simpler ideas. Understanding the most basic needs, and make an emotional product. Work on personalization and set standards which others cannot meet. Be disruptive. Make the product perfect in doing the most basic of the tasks and give an option where others can add in. Leave intuitive blanks for other players to fill in and earn money and respect.

4 thoughts on “Bit of Engineering and its Big Difference”

A very, very thought provoking article. Lovely use of metaphors and comparing different types of companies in the industry as different kinds of fish in the ocean! I hope you guys are one of those adamant little agile fishes that disrupt, nay, shake the foundations of the industry with unimaginable innovation and intelligence!

Once again, I am looking forward to holding your device, the ADAM, in my hands.

You guys are incredible, I am eagerly waiting on the product to step into this world .
First I thought of getting an iPad which is going to release on April 3rd, but later switched my mind to Adam comparing it’s technical brilliance and adaptability.